489
Chapter 38
Control by Antimicrobial
Preservatives and
Bacteriophages
introduction
Many chemical compounds, either present naturally, formed during processing, or legally added
as ingredients, can kill microorganisms or control their growth in foods. They are, as a group,
designated as antimicrobial inhibitors or preservatives. 1–3 Some of the naturally occurring preservatives can be present in sufficient amounts in foods to produce antimicrobial action, such as
lysozyme in egg whites and organic acids in citrus fruits. Similarly, some of the antimicrobials can
be formed in enough quantities during food processing to control undesirable microbial growth,
such as lactic acid in yogurt fermentation. However, others can be naturally present or formed in
small quantities and essentially do not produce antimicrobial action in foods, for example, lysozyme in milk (13 mg/100 mL) and diacetyl in some fermented dairy products. Among the many
food additives, some are specifically used to preserve foods against microorganisms, such as nitrite
(NO 2 ) in cured meat to control spore germination, especially of Clostridium botulinum, whereas
others are added principally to improve the functional properties of a food, such as butylhydroxyanisol (BHA) used as an antioxidant, although it has antimicrobial properties. Use of some of the
preservatives started as far back as 6000 b.c. Examples include salting, which had nitrate (NO 3 ) as
a contaminant, of fish and meat; burning sulfur to generate sulfur dioxide gas (SO 2 ) to sanitize the
environment and equipment used for baking and brewing; smoking fish and meats; and adding
spices, herbs, acids, and alcohol to foods (from fermentation).
Following the discovery of the microbial role in food spoilage and in foodborne diseases, many
chemicals have been introduced since the late 1900s to control microorganisms in foods. The safety of
the chemicals on humans was not tested before adding them to foods, and some of the chemicals used
were later found to be harmful to humans. To protect U.S. consumers, in 1958, the Food Additive
Amendment was passed (see Appendix C). According to this amendment, a food processor wanting to
use a food preservative and other additives must prove their safety, by the procedures recommended,
Chapter 38
Control by Antimicrobial
Preservatives and
Bacteriophages
introduction
Many chemical compounds, either present naturally, formed during processing, or legally added
as ingredients, can kill microorganisms or control their growth in foods. They are, as a group,
designated as antimicrobial inhibitors or preservatives. 1–3 Some of the naturally occurring preservatives can be present in sufficient amounts in foods to produce antimicrobial action, such as
lysozyme in egg whites and organic acids in citrus fruits. Similarly, some of the antimicrobials can
be formed in enough quantities during food processing to control undesirable microbial growth,
such as lactic acid in yogurt fermentation. However, others can be naturally present or formed in
small quantities and essentially do not produce antimicrobial action in foods, for example, lysozyme in milk (13 mg/100 mL) and diacetyl in some fermented dairy products. Among the many
food additives, some are specifically used to preserve foods against microorganisms, such as nitrite
(NO 2 ) in cured meat to control spore germination, especially of Clostridium botulinum, whereas
others are added principally to improve the functional properties of a food, such as butylhydroxyanisol (BHA) used as an antioxidant, although it has antimicrobial properties. Use of some of the
preservatives started as far back as 6000 b.c. Examples include salting, which had nitrate (NO 3 ) as
a contaminant, of fish and meat; burning sulfur to generate sulfur dioxide gas (SO 2 ) to sanitize the
environment and equipment used for baking and brewing; smoking fish and meats; and adding
spices, herbs, acids, and alcohol to foods (from fermentation).
Following the discovery of the microbial role in food spoilage and in foodborne diseases, many
chemicals have been introduced since the late 1900s to control microorganisms in foods. The safety of
the chemicals on humans was not tested before adding them to foods, and some of the chemicals used
were later found to be harmful to humans. To protect U.S. consumers, in 1958, the Food Additive
Amendment was passed (see Appendix C). According to this amendment, a food processor wanting to
use a food preservative and other additives must prove their safety, by the procedures recommended,